


Being Sick

by Bay



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-03
Updated: 2014-01-03
Packaged: 2018-01-07 08:12:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1117564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bay/pseuds/Bay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roy gets sick and Riza comes for a visit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Being Sick

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cornerofmadness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornerofmadness/gifts).



> Written for Cornerofmadness for Fandom Stocking 2013. Thanks to Haganeneko for the great beta!

It had been raining off and on in East City the past few days, yet several soldiers went to headquarters not feeling well.  Roy had suffered from a headache and a scratchy throat the day before, but he hadn’t thought of himself as being sick. It wasn’t until earlier today when he coughed and sneezed so much that Roy realized he had caught a cold. Unable to concentrate and concerned about being a distraction to those around him, he was forced to leave work early.  
  
During his stay at home, Roy rested on his couch while reading and listening to the radio. While waiting for a drama to start, Roy listened to the news, where they gave accounts about unusual things happening about town. He was in the middle of it when someone knocked on the door.  
  
 _Who could it be?_  Roy thought, blinking. He wasn’t expecting any visitors today. Nonetheless, he climbed off of his couch to open the door. Riza stood there, holding Hayate by his leash.  
  
“Lieutenant, what are you doing here?”   
  
“I came here to see how you’re doing. May we come in?” Hayate barked, as if asking permission, himself.   
  
Still flabbergasted by their appearance, Roy’s eye grew wide. “Oh, um. Sure, of course,” he stuttered.   
  
He stepped aside so Riza and her dog could come in. Closing the door, he covered his mouth and coughed. Roy noticed her looking around the living room. She noticed there were journals stacked neatly on the coffee table.  
  
“Reading your old alchemy notes?” Riza asked, her gaze still locked on them.  
  
“I am. Felt like looking through them.”  
  
Riza responded with a sound of acknowledgment. “I take it you took some medicine already.”  
  
“Went to buy some after leaving headquarters.”   
  
As the silence between them lingered on, Roy sat down on the couch and coughed again. Riza remained in place while Hayate scratched behind his ear. She had visited his home several times before for work related business, but this time she just wanted to keep him company. Even if they weren’t going to talk much, he was glad she came.  
  
“Have you eaten dinner yet?” she asked.   
  
Roy shook his head and that was when his stomach growled. “Now you mention it, I’m a little hungry.”  
  
“Since I’m here, why don’t I make chicken soup for the both of us?”  
  
He thought over Riza’s offer. He could prepare chicken soup just perfectly fine, although it would be better if the lieutenant did it.   
  
“That’s fine by me.” Feeling a runny nose coming in, Roy grabbed a tissue and blew his nose. He threw it into the trashcan next to the couch. Riza gave no reaction.  
  
‘I’ll get started, then.” She kneeled down to unhook the leash from Hayate’s collar and stroked the dog’s forehead. “Watch him for me.”  
  
Hayate gave a joyful bark. Roy uttered his confusion, but she was already in the kitchen. Staring down at the dog, he let out a heavy sigh. It was certainly Riza’s way of teasing him, yet it still bothered Roy she thought he needed to be kept an eye on.  
  
Around half an hour later, the chicken soup was ready. The pair gathered around the dinner table and sipped from their bowls. The soup was soothing on Roy’s throat and the pieces of chicken were tasty and easy to swallow. The warm aroma filled his nostrils. Hayate was absent for once, having chosen to nap in the living room.  
  
“This is really great soup,” he said and tasted another spoonful.  
  
“Thank you, sir.” Riza offered him an appreciative smile.  
  
Roy remained quiet until he thought of something they could converse about. “Remember when I used to be your father’s apprentice and you got sick that one time? “   
  
A soft smile formed on Riza’s lips. “You made me soup and found my old teddy bear.”  
  
“I thought that might cheer you up.” Roy said, returning the smile. She had been struck down with an irritating cold at a time when her father had to be away for a few days, leaving Roy to take care of her. He knew she had a teddy bear before, so he went to the attic and retrieved it from one of the boxes.  
  
“And it did.” She paused a moment. “This is the first time in a while we’ve had a quiet dinner together.”  
  
Now that he thought about it, she was right. The last time they had a dinner like this was before he left to become a State Alchemist. He chuckled at the memory.  
  
“That particular dinner you wished me luck on my state certification.” He smirked. “That was sweet of you to say.”  
  
Riza looked at him blankly for a second, then an amused smile spread across her face. “If I recall, you blushed after I said it.”  
  
“I did not!” Roy said immediately, appalled at the idea. Okay, maybe he did, but he didn’t want to admit it.   
  
“I knew you would say that.” The smile on Riza’s lips suddenly faded. “Seriously, though, I wanted you to pass, and was happy when you called and told me you did.”  
  
Roy’s heart sank. He frowned, staring down at his bowl. That was the last time they had communicated until they stumbled upon one another in Ishval. Their conversation after the end of that war still felt like it was yesterday. He fixed his gaze on her.  
  
“I’ll never get over the fact that I lost your trust back then. I could apologize a million times, but that won’t make the past disappear.”  
  
When Riza didn’t say anything right away, he wondered if she was thinking back about the war, too. Their conversation went from lighthearted to serious in a heartbeat.  
  
“What’s done is done,” she said at last. “You released me from my father’s burden and that’s more than enough to ask for. You also haven’t strayed away from your intended path since then.”  
  
For some reason, this made him smile a little. “I’ll do my best to keep it that way.”  
  
During the rest of dinner the two conversed over various topics, from how his foster mother and ‘sisters’ were doing, to current news, and the upcoming training session with Briggs. When it was time for Riza to leave, she woke Hayate and put his leash back on.   
  
“I want to thank you for visiting me. It made tonight much more fun.” Roy then slightly turned away, covering his mouth so he could cough.   
  
“You’re welcome. Hopefully you’ll feel much better by the weekend.”  
  
“I’m sure I will.”  
  
Roy ushered them to the door and opened it for them. He and Riza shared warm smiles, then she stepped outside with her dog. He watched them walk down the street for a few seconds before closing the door. Someday he and the lieutenant could have dinner together when he wasn’t sick. 


End file.
